Group Services FAQs

Services / Logistics Questions

Do the children in each Outdoor Kids group have similar or different diagnoses?

While every group is different based on the needs of the kids who enroll, we do review all registration forms to make sure the kids seem a "good fit".  We've found in our experience that a variety of different diagnoses work best in a group- rather than grouping kids based on diagnosis. Diversity of strengths and challenges is essential in a group OT model.  The OT plans the group’s activities specifically to address the needs of the children in that group.

What are some typical diagnoses of children who receive OT in your groups?

Our OT kids may have diagnoses of ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, motor skill challenges, or have no diagnosis at all but just need work on developmental skills.  We do require that children are able to function with a 1:2 adult-to-child ratio to be in the group. They must be able to stay with the group in the woods and maintain personal safety with an adult nearby but NOT always within arm’s reach. Children receiving OT are also expected to maintain appropriate behavior that does not endanger the safety or compromise the therapy of other children in the group.

How do you balance attending to all the kids' OT goals and making sure a child does not feel left out?

Group therapy IS different than individual services since it is not 1:1 with the OT.  One of the reasons we staff our groups with an OT and an assistant (or 2) is so that the OT can get focused time with each child as needed to work on their goals during the group.  The longer meeting time also helps with this. We make sure kids don't feel left out by keeping kids engaged throughout the session- so for example, if the OT is working with one child during an activity, the assistant may be helping other kids or leading/supervising some exploration or group game.  Also, we tend to do focused work on 1 main goal per child at a time, focusing on the family's main concerns. In group therapy, if each child has 4-5 goals and there are 4 children it becomes unreasonable to truly address all goals sufficiently.

Do you cancel groups in rainy or cold weather?

Nope! We play in the rain. In the case of rain, we would only cancel if the weather conditions posed a hazard to the children (for example, strong winds, or hail). The only time we’ve canceled groups was for very poor air quality when there were nearby forest fires in California.

Could you explain a bit more about the Peer Playmates?  What role do they play and how do they benefit from your program?

The peer playmate role came about as parents had kids who were "graduating" from our OT services, but their parents wanted them to continue in the group for the benefits of green time in nature and for continued practice of self-regulation and play skills in a small group setting.  We also had other parents who value nature play asking about having their kids participate even if they didn't need OT services.

Peer playmates do not have goals, nor are they receiving OT services; but they are in the group to help the play along during group games and other interactive activities. The OT spends time during the group addressing goals of the OT kids and plans the group's activities to meet the OT kids' goals. The peer playmates benefit from the activities by participating but are not receiving OT. Peer playmates are expected to follow directions fairly consistently and model social and play skills for other kids. The kids all participate in the group together though- it's not like they know who is getting OT and who isn't.  That's the beauty of our group model- therapy feels like PLAY outdoors with other kids.

Can I attend the group with my child if they have separation anxiety or difficulty transitioning into the group?

Our program is intended for children who are ready for a group therapy model, so we generally don’t allow parents to join our group services. (Individual OT sessions may be a good option if your child is not ready for group quite yet.) The philosophy of our groups is to be child-led and encourage children’s independence. We intentionally staff with a very high adult-to-child ratio to provide support for children in our groups. We’ve found that having more adults present really impacts all the children’s tendencies to play independently. Another reason for this policy is that it provides consistency in service provision across all families within our group therapy model.

On occasion, we have had a parent/caregiver attend with their child for a session or two in order to transition them slowly to the group. We require that we start this process with a clear plan in place for the parent to transition out, as well as a plan for assessing the goodness of fit of the group if the parent is unable to transition out. Please discuss this with your therapist if necessary.

Do you offer individual occupational therapy services or assessments?

Yes! You can read all about our individual services here.

Application Questions

I’m not sure my child needs OT or if I should apply for them as a peer playmate. What if I register them and then the assessment results indicate OT is not needed?

In this case, we ask you enroll for OT services and we’ll do the pre-group OT assessment. If the assessment results indicate the level of need is not significant enough to warrant therapy, we change the child to a peer playmate role in the group. The non-refundable registration fee for the OT service covers the cost of assessment, and the account is then switched to the peer playmate rate. We only provide OT services for children who need OT, as it would be unethical to charge families for a service they don’t need.

What happens after I apply for my child to join a group?

Our application process allows you to submit an application for all locations and times that would work for your family. After the application deadline in May, our therapists review applications as a team. We form groups based on ages and needs of children who applied for each available group.

After review of applications, you will be notified if your child is offered a spot in a group. You will then have 48 hours to pay your deposit to confirm your child’s spot. If you do not reply, we will move to the next child on the waitlist. We generally have about 10-15 applications for 4 spots in each group. If your child is not placed, they will remain on the waitlist for upcoming openings in groups.

Your OT will contact you via email one week prior to the group’s start date to send you our Welcome Packet with all the information you’ll need. Your child’s goals will be established after the 1st or 2nd group.  Group activities will address goals and you’ll receive a written progress report on goals in December and June.

(As explained above, peer playmates are not receiving OT services and do not receive assessments, goals, or progress reports.)

Do you offer trial visits? Can my child try out a group before we sign-up?

Due to the therapeutic nature of our services and HIPAA privacy laws, we cannot offer trial visits. Our application process has been carefully crafted to assess goodness-of-fit before your child joins a group.